Abstract: A thin film resistor structure and a method of fabricating a thin film resistor structure is provided. The thin film resistor structure includes an electrical interface layer or head layer that is a combination of a Titanium (Ti) layer and a Titanium Nitride (TiN) layer. The combination of the Ti layer and the TiN layer mitigates resistance associated with the electrical interface layers.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an epitaxial silicon-germanium layer for an integrated semiconductor device comprises the step of depositing an arsenic in-situ doped silicon-germanium layer, wherein arsenic and germanium are introduced subsequently into different regions of said silicon-germanium layer during deposition of said silicon-germanium layer. By separating arsenic from germanium any interaction between arsenic and germanium is avoided during deposition thereby allowing fabricating silicon-germanium layers with reproducible doping profiles.

Abstract: A thin film resistor structure (75) is formed on a dielectric layer (60). A capping layer (90) is formed above said thin film resistor structure (75) and vias (110) are formed in the capping layer (90) using a two step etching process comprising of a dry etch process and a wet etch process. Conductive layers (120) are formed in the vias and form electrical contacts to the thin film resistor structure (75).

Abstract: Method of producing complementary SiGe bipolar transistors. In a method of producing complementary SiGe bipolar transistors, interface oxide layers (38, 58) for NPN and PNP emitters (44, 64), are separately formed and emitter polysilicon (40, 60) is separately patterned, allowing these layers to be optimized for the respective conductivity type.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating complementary bipolar transistors with SiGe base regions the base regions of the NPN and PNP transistors are formed one after the other over two collector regions 20, 14 by epitaxial deposition of crystalline silicon-germanium layers 32a, 36a. With this method the germanium profile of the SiGe layers can be freely selected for both NPN and PNP transistors in thus enabling complementary transistor performance to be optimized individually. The SiGe layers 32a, 36a can be doped with an n-type or p-type dopant during or after deposition of the silicon-germanium layers 32a, 36a.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating an integrated silicon-germanium heterobipolar transistor a silicon dioxide layer arranged between a silicon-germanium base layer and a silicon emitter layer is formed by means of Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) to ensure enhanced component properties of the integrated silicon-germanium heterobipolar transistor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stacked capacitor (10) comprising a silicon base plate (16), a poly-silicon center plate (32) arranged above the base plate (16), a lower gate-oxide dielectric (26) arranged between the base plate (16) and the center plate (32), a cover plate (36) made of a metallic conductor and arranged above the center plate (32), and an upper dielectric (34) arranged between the center plate (32) and the cover plate (36). The cover plate (36) and the base plate (16) are electrically connected to each other and together form a first capacitor electrode. The center plate (32) forms a second capacitor electrode. The invention further relates to an integrated circuit with such a stacked capacitor, as well as to a method for fabrication of a stacked capacitor as part of a CMOS process.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a thin film resistor, which includes a resistor material that has been deposited on a substrate surface within a channel defined by opposing first and second portions of a stencil structure formed on the substrate surface, the resistor material having an initial width determined by a width of the channel. The stencil structure has been adapted to receive a planarizing material that protects against reduction of the initial width of the resistor material during subsequent process steps for removing the stencil structure. A head mask overlays an end portion of the thin film resistor and a dielectric overlays the head mask, the dielectric defining a via formed in the dielectric above a portion of the head mask. A conductive material has been deposited in the via, coupled to the portion of the head mask and electrically connecting the thin film resistor to other components of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A thin film resistor structure (75) is formed on a dielectric layer (60). A capping layer (90) is formed above said thin film resistor structure (75) and vias (110) are formed in the capping layer (90) using a two step etching process comprising of a dry etch process and a wet etch process. Conductive layers (120) are formed in the vias and form electrical contacts to the thin film resistor structure (75).

Abstract: A method for integrating a thin film resistor into an interconnect process flow where one of the metal layers is used as a hardmask. After a via (42) etch and fill, the thin film resistor material (62) is deposited. The metal interconnect layer (76) is then deposited, including any barrier layers desired. The metal leads (70) are then etched together with the shape of the thin film resistor (60). The metal (76) over the thin film resistor (60) is then removed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a thin film resistor, which includes a resistor material that has been deposited on a substrate surface within a channel defined by opposing first and second portions of a stencil structure formed on the substrate surface, the resistor material having an initial width determined by a width of the channel. The stencil structure has been adapted to receive a planarizing material that protects against reduction of the initial width of the resistor material during subsequent process steps for removing the stencil structure. A head mask overlays an end portion of the thin film resistor and a dielectric overlays the head mask, the dielectric defining a via formed in the dielectric above a portion of the head mask. A conductive material has been deposited in the via, coupled to the portion of the head mask and electrically connecting the thin film resistor to other components of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method for integrating a thin film resistor (60) into an interconnect process flow. Metal interconnect lines (40) are formed over a semiconductor body (10). An interlevel dielectric (50) is then formed over the metal interconnect lines (40). Conductively filled vias (62) are then formed through the interlevel dielectric (50) to the metal interconnect lines (40). A thin film resistor (60) is then formed connecting between at least two of the conductively filled vias (62) using a single mask step. Connection to the resistor (60) is from below using a via process sequence already required for connecting between interconnect layers (40, 64). Thus, only one additional mask step is required to incorporate the resistor (60).

Abstract: The instant invention describes a programmable neuron MOSFET structure formed on SOI substrates. A number of input capacitor structures (241, 231) are formed on a SOI substrate. The substrate region of the capacitors (330, 340) are completely isolated from each other by isolation structures (270). In addition the transistor structure (210) of the neuron MOSFET is completely isolated from the capacitor structures (241, 231) by the isolation structure (270). The neuron MOSFET also comprises a contiguous floating conductive layer (200, 230, and 240) which forms the gate structure of the capacitors (230, 240) and the floating gate (200) of the transistor structure.

Abstract: The instant invention describes a programmable neuron MOSFET structure formed on SOI substrates. A number of input capacitor structures (241, 231) are formed on a SOI substrate. The substrate region of the capacitors (330, 340) are completely isolated from each other by isolation structures (270). In addition the transistor structure (210) of the neuron MOSFET is completely isolated from the capacitor structures (241, 231) by the isolation structure (270). The neuron MOSFET also comprises a contiguous floating conductive layer (200, 230, and 240) which forms the gate structure of the capacitors (230, 240) and the floating gate (200) of the transistor structure.

Abstract: An integrated circuit programmable structure (60) is formed for use a trim resistor and/or a programmable fuse. The programmable structure comprises placing heating elements (70) in close proximity to the programmable structure (60) to heat the programmable structure (60) during programming.

Abstract: A method for integrating a thin film resistor into an interconnect process flow where one of the metal layers is used as a hardmask. After a via (42) etch and fill, the thin film resistor material (62) is deposited. The metal interconnect layer (76) is then deposited, including any barrier layers desired. The metal leads (70) are then etched together with the shape of the thin film resistor (60). The metal (76) over the thin film resistor (60) is then removed.

Abstract: A thin film resistor (60) having a low TCR (temperature coefficient of resistance) and a method for engineering the TCR of a material for a thin film resistor (60). The thin film resistor (60) comprises a material with a sheet resistance selected for low or zero TCR. In order to increase the sheet resistance, a thinner (e.g., 20-50 Å) layer of material may be used for thin film resistor (60).

Abstract: A monolithically integrated combination of a laser diode and a modulator is provided, in which one region of a common active layer structure is used for the laser and an adjacent region of that layer structure is used for the modulator, and in which the layer structure is an MQW structure with asymmetric potential wells decoupled from one another. The material compositions in the potential wells each have the smallest energy bandgap on the n-type side and are matched to the layer structure in such a way that, when the potential difference is applied in the reverse bias direction, a blue shift of the absorption edge beyond the laser wavelength takes place.